


No Guests Allowed

by Hobis_Spoon



Series: Reylo Works [3]
Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Office, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Porn With Plot, omg they were roommates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:08:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25510342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobis_Spoon/pseuds/Hobis_Spoon
Summary: "Miss Niima," Hux interrupted poignantly. "This is Mr. Solo. He's the new head of the IT department."Rey gaped at him, looking him up and down. "What the..." she mumbled lowly.Off to her side, she can hear Poe and Rose trying to stifle their snickering.Great. So she's been gushing to her friends about how much she wants to fuck her new roommate, and here he's standing in front of them like something out of one or two of her wet dreams."Wow. You were right Rey. Heiscute," Finn nodded in approval.Ben quirked a brow at him.And Rey stared at him in pure horror. There are few words and even fewer expressions to define just how mortified she was.—————Dedicated office worker Rey Niima has had her fair share of trouble trying to find a decent apartment close to her work.It's when Ben Solo, a newbie to the city, posts a once-in-a-lifetime listing that catches her eye.They become roommates and things go well until she learns that he's the new head of the IT department where she works.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Reylo Works [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1834900
Comments: 13
Kudos: 119
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp





	1. Got Allergies?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first WIP of many... Don't forget to bully me into completing this story, hehe.
> 
> DW, I'll let you know when the smut begins. Unfortunately, it's not this chapter, but it'll be coming soon! :)

Throughout the past three years that she's been working at Skywalker Enterprises, Rey Niima has done her best to ensure that she has been the most exceptional employee her superiors could ever dream of. Three long years of working hard, exceeding expectations, and minding her own business has been a difficult journey in and of its own, considering she also tried to do it all with a pep in her high-heeled step.

Everyone in the office loved her, even the begrudging floor manager Armitage Hux. When he had said "Good morning, Ms. Niima," to her for the first time in their two years of working together, it was the biggest ego boost she'd ever had. From her knowledge, he had only spared the niceties to their wonderful and eccentric boss, Luke Skywalker.

"You can still move in with us, Rey," Rose, her co-worker from marketing, chewed on her chicken salad. Her hazel brown eyes shone in the fluorescent lights, her bubbly cheeks gleaming with her dewy highlighter. Her considerate words made Rey smile.

Finn, another co-worker from marketing, reached over the table to grab the ketchup. "Yeah, man, it'll be fun!" he agreed, dousing his fries in the red condiment. The sight made Rey scrunch her nose, baffled that he'd ruin his chips in such a horrendous fashion.

"That's sacrilege, y'know?" Poe frowned at his boyfriend as he delved into his ketchup soaked fries.

"Okay, Mr. Accountant-Man," Finn snickered, his fingers covered with sauce.

"Accounting is cool, and you know it," Poe argued, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Not when you say it like that, it doesn't," His boyfriend snorted delightfully, triumphant at Poe's defeated expression.

Rey snickered at their bickering.

"It's totally fine, trust me. I just saw this listing pop up yesterday and I've been messaging the owner who seems coherent enough for me," she indulged them. "I'm meeting them today to look at the place. It's not that far from here and from what I've seen on the website, the whole thing looks amazing. I'm not sure what to expect from the owner, I'm mostly hoping they're nice."

Hux looked on with a scorned expression, "You're setting the bar far too low, Niima. At least make sure they're clean and sober," he nibbled on his ham and lettuce sandwich. Taking in his advice, Rey saw in the corner of her eye that Rose was glancing at the redheaded manager ever so often with a shy smile and doe eyes. It was a miracle that Hux hadn't figured out that the sweet girl at her side was crushing on him so hard. She wasn't exactly being subtle about it.

Personally, Rey couldn't find the appeal. She supposed that he did look physically fit and well-kept in the facial department. He always had his striking red hair gelled back to perfection, framing his clean-shaved and defined features quite well... Oh, shit. She supposed she did see the appeal. Not that it mattered, he wasn't her type anyway.

"Do you know if it's a girl or a guy?" Poe asked, tossing a napkin to Finn with a disappointed look.

Rey shrugged. "Not really, no. Does it matter?"

"What if it's a really hot guy?" Rose wagged her eyebrows at Rey, propping her head up on her palm and fluttering her eyelashes.

Sputtering, Rey dismissed Rose with a wave of her hand. "That doesn't matter," she sputtered, cheeks growing red. 

"Oh come on, Rey! What if he's like really big and handsome, what would you do then?" Rose nudged Rey on the arm.

"I'd behave like a normal human being, you scoundrel," Rey scolded her friend, stealing one of her fries.

Just then, the scenarios of a faceless, dark, tall man flooded her mind. It wouldn't be so bad if her potential roommate was... a handsome man.

Although, she'd much prefer a girl for a roommate just because it's easier to connect with them and, speaking from past experience, they tend to be far cleaner than most men. Thinking about it now, she was chastising herself for not asking whether the owner of the apartment was a guy or a girl.

But if it did happen to be a man and he could keep the place clean... Lord, help her.

Wow, Hux was right. She was setting the bar way too low.

Frustrated with her own thoughts, she munched away at the remainder of her lunch.

After they'd all finished their lunch, Rey doubled down on her work and soon, she was bidding her co-workers farewell.

After a couple of stops, she stepped out of the bus and examined the tall building in front of her, clutching her coat to her body tightly to salvage any warmth she had left, covering her white tie-neck blouse and loose black slack pants. She scurried into the marvelous building, her heels tapping on the concrete floor.

When she stepped into the wide, empty hallway, she pulled out the paper she printed earlier that day. Floor 22, room number 8.

For such a greatly placed apartment, she was still in awe at the price of it. The price alone would let her put up with any roommate in the world, no matter how disgusting or annoying they were. Rey couldn't afford to live any closer to her work, and an amazing place like this was a godsend.

She looked at the photos of the apartment, gazing at the high ceilings, wood floors, exposed brick walls, and the spacious rooms with envy. One living area, one (incredible) kitchen, two bathrooms, and three rooms with impossibly great closet space.

With an excited thump in her chest, she stepped a little closer to the door of room number 8 of the 22nd floor, and she nervously raised her fist, rapping the door three times. There was a thump and an audible hiss on the other side of the door, making Rey grow anxious.

The door opened and _holy_ _shit_ –

Stood in front of her was a tall, handsome gentleman. The first thing she saw was his dark hair, which was worn just right—loose and tousled—just short of his broad shoulders. His large chest was wrapped together in a navy blue sweater, leading down to his fit waist and ending at his hips. Dark jeans encased his thick thighs and the remaining length of his ridiculously long legs which ended at his big feet, which happened to be adorning... Star Wars socks?

 _'What if he's like really big and handsome, what would you do then?'_ Rose's words echoed in her mind. 

Well, Rose, if she knew that he'd looked like this, she would've said that she'd climb him like a tree and then some.

"You're not allergic to cats, are you?" he grinned at her shyly, extending a large hand to her.

Oh God.


	2. Carving Marble

All of the exhaustion that Rey had built up throughout the day had melted away the moment she embraced his big, warm hand in her own.

"Allergic?" she mumbled, unable to tear her eyes away from his handsomely crooked features. She watched as she mashed his plush lips together, deep in thought. In the span of 2 seconds, she managed to map out every adorable freckle and mole on his face.

He cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah, cat. I'm... cat-sitting, for my mom," his deep, mellow voice swam into the quiet air around them. It was decidedly one of the best things she's ever heard in her life.

He looked down to his feet where a ginger tabby emerged, softly slinking up against his feet.

Yes.

Rey had never been jealous of a cat before.

But there's a first time for everything, right?

"No, no, I'm not allergic," she laughed nervously. She panned back down to the tabby as it curled around his feet and stepped forward to nuzzle against her calf. "What's his... her name?"

"His name's Threepio," he indulged her inquiry, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. "He's an ancient little thing," he mumbled quietly.

She smiled up at him. "Well, I think he's quite the gentleman," she leaned down to scratch the chubby cat behind its ears.

"Sorry if I look a little... Frazzled," she looked up just in time to see him wildly flail his big hands around to emphasise his point. "I may or may not have expected you to be... a guy?"

Rey's cheeks grew red.

"Ah, yeah, I was afraid this would happen," she nodded sheepishly. 

The thought hadn't slipped her mind since Poe had brought it up. She knew that the gender thing might be an issue, but that didn't make having to step away from this listing any less painful.

This place was close to her work, and now that she's seen a piece of the inside with her own eyes around this guy's ridiculously large frame, she knew for sure just how incredible it was, and the price... Jesus, fuck her with a chainsaw, this place was like candy in a store that she'll only be able to ogle through the window because it may just be entry-only for guys.

"It's—I'm not," he quietly cursed to himself. "Sorry, I just mean it's okay that you're a woman," he nervously carded a hand through his dark, wavy hair. "I'm not a sexist prick or afraid to be around women or anything. I just got the wrong impression from your name, is all."

"Oh," Rey held back a snort. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

The look on his face was nothing if not thankful.

"I can be a little dumb sometimes," he said to her jokingly.

"Gender-neutral names will be the bane of us all," Rey quipped, adding to his humor in hopes of settling his nerves.

She could tell he was on edge and that he was digging himself into an uncomfortable hole trying to prove to her that he hadn't meant any harm, so she extended her hand to him once more.

He looked down in confusion.

" _Miss_ Rey Niima. Pleasure to meet you," she hoped that he'd pick up on what she was putting down and, thankfully, he seemed to catch on.

" _Mister_ Ben solo," he took her hand once more. 

He looked relaxed and grateful for her warm attitude. With all the tension from his shoulders gone, he was truly a sight to behold.

"Please, come in."

* * *

After they inconspicuously worked past their fumble of an initial meeting, things went smoothly.

He gave her a tour of the apartment, which was even better than the photos and the glimpses she got from just looking past his world wide shoulders. Then they skimmed over the necessary paperwork in the kitchen that he casually mentioned he installed on his own.

Her eyes widened as her mouth rested on the lip of the cup of coffee he wordlessly handed to her, trying to thwart away the images of her potential roommate sweating in nothing but a tank top as he worked this beautiful white slab of marble into a countertop in some dank workshop downtown.

He tells her that she ticks all his boxes; non-smoker, quiet, a bit of a neat freak (her words, not his).

She's glad to report that he's the same, though he insists he'd be more of a nitpicker towards the cleanliness of the apartment. She begs to differ.

Next, they go over the rules.

Loud music is fine, between the hours of 12pm and 9pm or when the other occupant isn't home. A minimum of 2 pets is fine. Parties are fine, as long as there's a weeks notice.

"And guests?"

"Oh... I, uh, have some noise-cancelling headphones so yeah, that's fine," Ben nodded.

Rey sputtered into her coffee.

"I mean, I'm assuming?"

She saw the tips of his large ears peeking through the tendrils of his dark hair, and they were growing more pink by the second.

"That's..." she snorted, "very thoughtful of you, Ben. But I was thinking more in a cordial sense? Like friends?"

"Oh... OH."

He hung his head low and pinched the bridge of his nose while she mashed her lips together to stop her giggles from escaping. She found it strangely endearing just how awkward he was. Such a big, enigma of a man yet it seemed like he hadn't truly planted a firm, confident foot in the world. 

"Sorry," he grumbled lowly. "My last roommate was a jackrabbit and sufficed to say, my mind's a little tainted."

She quilled her inward laughter and flattened her hand on the marble countertop. "It's okay," she assured him.

He glanced up at her and gave her a sheepish smile.

"Guests, they're allowed. In any caliber," he tapped his coffee cup with a long index finger.

She nodded. "That's good to know," she grinned at him warmly.

"You don't sound like you're from around here," Ben points out and she nods.

"British," she smiles at him sheepishly. "But I've lived here for about 5 years, so I'd like to say that I know my way around these parts."

"Ah," he nods at her. "I can't say the same. I'm new to this city," he points over to the floor to ceiling windows that reveal the bustling city around them. The view is breathtaking. The sun hides behind a sheet of grey clouds, but the brilliant lights of the metropolis are doing a great job of illuminating the cluster of buildings sprouting everywhere the eye can see.

"Maybe you can show this newbie around."

"If I do, I promise to keep the tour as fun as possible."

He's smiling at her and the sight of his long dimples makes her heart clench.

"Well," he stood to his full height and she followed, leaving her empty coffee cup on the countertop, "would you like to assume the title of 'Roomie' or is there something else you have in mind?"

He placed his hands on his hips and grinned at her.

For one, she was glad that he wasn't a disgusting slob. She would've put up with it anyway if he was, but he wasn't and she didn't know what to think of that.

Well, she knew exactly what to think of it.

But she _shouldn't_ be thinking of that.

She shouldn't be thinking of this massive stranger stepping closer to her and hoisting her up onto the marble countertop that _he_ carved out with his bare hands, spreading her thighs and filling the absent space between them with his hips, running his hands along her ticklish sides. She'd giggle into his gorgeous mouth and he'd smile at her—

Fuck.

He may not be a disgusting slob, but the fact that he's insanely handsome and built like her very own personal Adonis isn't gonna make living with him any better.

"'Roomie' is great. What would you prefer?"

"'Supreme Leader' would suffice."

She snorted. "Mhm, yeah I saw those Star Wars socks."

He glanced down at his feet in confusion. "Oh shit," he chuckled, "laundry day," he kicked his feet up.

"The leader of the First Order does his own laundry?" she tilted her head at him, grinning like an idiot.

"After the rebels killed nearly half of his fleet, and thereafter all of the interns, _someone_ had to do all the bitch work," he rolled his eyes sardonically. "Curse those rebels," he raised his fist and scrunched his nose.

She laughed at his exaggerated flailing, slapping a hand over her mouth to curb the less attractive noises that wanted to come out. "Okay, Supreme Leader, give the rebels a break," she placed a hand on his arm and he stilled, looking down at her.

His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, "I'd be more than happy to spare those rebels. Unless... you're a spy?" he quirked a brow at her.

"Oh, yes, I'm a rebel spy here to bring down your tyrannical rule from the inside," she pouted at him and batted her eyelashes in a bid to play along.

He looked a little nervous but he laughed softly and carded a big hand through his hair, taking his bottom lip between his teeth as he glanced down at her.

God he is such a dork, and she loves that about him. Love is a strong word, but she begs anyone else to look at this man and not instantly fall in love. He's just so fucking _big_ and he looks like he can easily bend her to his will, which she'd happily do.

Jesus fucking shit, it hasn't fully occurred to her that she has to live with him now.

"You're funny. I like that," he finally murmurs and that makes her beam with pride. This is a good impression. "I'll be at the Apollo tonight if you wanna hear more," she nudges her elbow against his bicep, and he laughs again.

* * *

"And he hauled me over his fucking shoulder like I weighed nothing," Rey mumbled into her ham and rye, gazing off into the distance. She's in the middle of telling her friends about the early morning run she took with Ben. She leaves out the part where she ungracefully tripped over a rock hidden under a pile of leaves, but gushes about how her hot roommate Ben quickly came to the rescue and hoisted her up in his arms, carrying her the rest of the way home.

Finn grimaced.

"It is _way_ too early for you to be horny," he tells her, but Rose shushes him. "Shut up, I wanna hear more."

Rose plants her chin in her palm and nods at Rey to continue. She and Poe are always the ones fishing for more details, meanwhile Finn is scrunching his nose in distaste at everything.

"Actually, no. I don't wanna _hear_ more, I wanna see some pics! Have you taken any yet?"

"Um..."

Of course she has.

But instead of indulging them, she shakes her head.

"What? Rey, you've been fawning over this guy for weeks now and you still haven't taken a pic? At least invite us over so we can get a look at him!" Poe implores. Finn is looking at him like he's grown two heads. "Babe, I know you wanna see him too."

Finn huffs, but doesn't even try to deny his boyfriend's claim.

Rey pouts at her co-workers, pinching the tips of her tingling fingers under the table.

It's not that she's too scared to take a photo of her roommate. It's just a personal mindfield of trying to figure out whether or not she wants to show him off to the world or keep him all to herself. She knows she's being possessive over him when she doesn't really have a right to be.

Trust her, she'd love to do something about her feelings for him.

But they've fallen into a nice rhythm in their apartment, and she's not quite ready to risk that just yet.

When she first moved in, it was an easy transition. She didn't have many belongings to bring anyway, besides her clothes, some faded inspirational posters and a couple succulents she received from Rose as a Christmas gift.

It's quiet for the first week of their shared living. The chubby ginger tabby disappears one day she returns home, and she's disappointed, half-expecting the slow creature to slink up by her feet and meow at her incessantly for a meal that he will pretend he didn't have. Ben tells her his mother came by and picked him up, and she suppresses a pout.

He sees her deflated shoulders and asks if she wants to see 'the ancient little thing' again and not wanting to be a burden, she declines his offer, slipping away to her bedroom, subconsciously stroking her jacket instead of the lump of fur she'd grown accustomed to.

Plastered among a few of the exposed peach bricks of their shared living space were a few of the aforementioned posters. Often enough, she'll find Ben quirking a brow at them, particularly at the outdated unfunny Chuck Norris one, but he doesn't say much about them. 

And if she remembers correctly, after they've had a few bottles of beer, he tells her that he likes her personal touch in the apartment. That it makes the place seem less _empty_.

If it's not a blurry memory, it's wishful thinking.

One day, she finds a picture of Threepio with his paws stretched out, and he's plastered over Chuck Norris's face on that stupid poster she hung up for no reason. Ben creeps up behind her and asks her if she likes it, to which she shrieks in surprise. He laughs at her jumpy response, but repeats himself. She glances back at the poster with her bottom lip trapped between her teeth, nodding fervently.

She doesn't know why he did it.

Maybe he wanted to make her laugh. 

Maybe he knew that she really did miss that little old fur ball and wanted to make her feel a little better about his absence

Perhaps it was both.

After that encounter, he slunk away back to his office, which is really just the third bedroom that's been fashioned into his own little space. Now, Rey isn't exactly sure of what he does. It's just as likely that he doesn't know what she does either. He tells her as long as she has a steady paycheck, then that's good enough for him.

She might have a clue as to what he does. She's seen the inside of his office exactly one time when Ben had left the door open on accident and it took her once glance to know that it looked like the most perfect little area. All of those computers he hoards in his office seem like they have something to do with what he does for a living, but she's not entirely sure.

On one side of the room, there's a desk that lines one of the dark green walls. It's decked out with 3 monitors, an impressive looking PC and few other techy items that she's not quite familiar with. The wall directly in front of her is covered by tall white bookcases. On the other side of the room is an impressive little reading nook window. The muted tones of the plush pillows in the nook call out to her, but she stops herself from going any further.

She fears she's already violated enough of his private space, and she turns to escape but he's standing right behind her and is asking if she wants peruse his bookshelf and set up shop by the window. She's sputtering, trying to explain why she's standing there at the precipice of his personal bubble, but he assures her that he's being genuine. He settles a big, warm hand at the base of her spine and she relaxes at his touch and the sincere look in his soft eyes.

She chews her bottom lip in contemplation but declines his offer, using her unchecked emails as an excuse to leave.

She would've stayed had he invited her in on his own accord, but she felt like he was only trying to be cordial.

Things weren't _uncomfortable_ after that. Rey had expected it to be, but it wasn't. He wasn't mad that she was ogling at his stuff. He didn't storm into the kitchen where she was boiling pasta in her pyjamas and a clay mask, asking her to pack her shit.

He's... surprisingly chill. Well, that's in comparison to the other men in her life. Objectively, she knows that what she did wasn't that big of a deal, but she's been accustomed to expect worse reactions from her earlier experiences with big, brooding men.

But Ben is different.

Now, this was something she knew the moment she met him but time and time again, he's subverted her expectations.

Their rhythm develops even further.

Every morning, Rey has a bright and early 5am run with Ben, and she shows him the city at the same time, just like she promised she would. She shows him the Yoda fountain, which they take a funny selfie in front of. She also shows him the art gallery a few blocks away, which frequently changes their outdoor exhibits. Every time they run past, they always have something to poke fun at. Last week it was a particularly large, blue and ugly phallic sculpture. This morning it changed to a familiar, big, chrome helmet. Kylo Ren's helmet. It's been erected in honour of the Star Wars anniversary.

It's safe to say that there was nothing funny to be said about this particular sculpture.

The excitement on Ben's face was palpable and she paused, bringing out her phone from her pocket. "Okay, Supreme Leader. Get in there," she waved her hand at him to stand in front of the exhibit.

There were thrums of children and teenagers on other sides of the huge helmet, all of them taking their own pictures. 

But when Rey looked up, he was the only person she saw. The rest of the gallery-goers faded away in her peripheral vision as she lifted her camera to take his photo, capturing his barely contained excitement and his huge frame dressed in black joggers, a long-sleeved thermal top and beanie.

When she's done, he's scratching the back of his neck and asking if she can send him a copy so he can then forward it to his mother. Apparently she, too, is also a fan of the classic space action series.

That's another endearing thing about Ben Solo, her big charming roommate. He's close with his mother, but according to him it wasn't always like that. It seems he got into a bit of trouble in his late teens and his relationship with his parents was rocky, to say the least, up until a few years ago. Ever since, they've been pretty tight and Ben makes sure to stay in contact with them.

And that's where she turns on her heel and runs right over a leaf-hidden rock, nearly twisting her ankle as she doubles over. Ben had rushed to her side, hoisting her up, quickly asking if she was okay. Rest assured, she was fine, but that didn't stop him from carrying her the rest of the way home. She didn't complain, of course, and it didn't seem like he was struggling so she didn't see a point in trying to stop him.

Hell, if the man wants to carry her home, she'll let him.

Except it's almost like a scene out of Shrek, where the big green ogre has to begrudgingly haul princess Fiona's ass across the land to get her back to her kingdom. She doesn't mind though, because he's balancing her on his shoulder and holding her by the back of her thighs. The sensation of his hands on her body sends a thrill crawling up her spine.

As soon as he sends the picture to his mother that same morning, he gets an almost instantaneous reply. "Ah," he chuckles. "She wants to know who took the photo."

Rey's towel drying her hair in the island style kitchen, taking menial sips of her sugary coffee.

"Tell her it was a rebel spy."

"I already beat you to that one," he smirks at her as he cards a hand through his hair. "But I think she's being serious this time."

"Just tell her it's your roommate?" she suggests, a little confused with his dilemma

He looks at her and back down to his phone. "She... Doesn't know I have a roommate yet."

Rey frowns at this. They've been living together for almost 2 and a half months. Has he been keeping her a secret to his family? Her mind roves, trying to find a good, plausible reason for why he'd do that. It's not like their living situation is scandalous. Well, not on his part. He's been nothing short of a gentleman but Rey's consciousness can't help but create a thousand different scenarios that would counter that statement.

As if he's reading her mind, he puts his phone down and looks at her earnestly. "It's not you. It's just that my mother can be a little... intense? And if she knew about this," he gestures to himself and her, "we'd never hear the end of it."

We. He said we'd never hear the end of it. In his mind, this is something he's trying to avoid for the both of them, but she can't help but feel as though she's not worth the inconvenience in his eyes. That she's not worth his mother yapping his ear off. If not as a roommate, then it definitely won't be enough if they were actually in a romantic relationship.

Not that being in a relationship with him is important...

But seriously?

Fuck. She'd let her lump of a foster father, Unkar, yap _her_ ear off if it meant she got to be with Ben. And Unkar's a twat.

She'd argue that a dedicated mother like Ben's would marginally be better.

It's hard to be any worse than Unkar anyway. Not that she'd like to see the competition.

"I'm gonna tell her soon, don't worry. I'm just dealing with another family issue right now," he smiles at her sheepishly, and she can sense the sincerity in his voice. It almost sounds like it pains him to not be telling anyone that she's part of his life now, that she cooks and cleans and lives with him like it's in her second nature.

Rey's eyes wander over his features, nods at his reassuring words and decides not to press the conversation any further. She disappears for a moment to get ready and when she returns, he wordlessly refills her purple thermos with coffee and she glances back at him one last time before leaving. His honey brown eyes linger on her a second longer than they usually do, and she swallows. Her smile reaches her eyes before she closes the door behind her, leaving him to stew in silence.

"You gonna invite us over or what?" Poe snaps her out of her bubble and she blinks at him, putting down her ham and rye.

Rose and Finn are looking at her expectantly, and she can hear the anxious tapping of Rose's feet on the carpeted floor.

With a sigh, she relents. Poe squeals in delight, grasping Finn's hand with a wide smile.

She tries to shush them and goes to excuse herself so she can call Ben and see if it's alright to have a small get together with her friends at their apartment.

It takes 4 rings before he finally picks up.

"Hey, Rey—!"

There's a loud echoey ringing noise which makes her wince. She pulls the phone away from her ear. Distantly, she can also hear him cursing through the receiver.

An echoey ringing noise on a phone call... Fuck. That can only mean one thing—

Ben steps into the breakroom in a tailored suit. The sight is drastically different from his typical jeans and cashmere sweaters, and it nearly knocks the oxygen out of her lungs. Fucking of course he looks immaculate in a suit. She's yet to see him in something that makes him look stupid. Jesus, did he style his hair as well? It doesn't look as fluffy as it usually does, but that doesn't mean it looks bad. Not at all. In fact, it looks a little _too_ good, and it's making her irrationally angry that there are people that get to see him like this, like pure sex on legs.

He's holding his phone in his big hand, hovering it away from his ear. He holds her gaze with surprise.

"Rey?"

"Ben?"

The both say at the same time.

"What are you doing here?"

The ask the other in unison.

"I... Work here?" she tilts her head at him in confusion. "Wait, what are you doing here? And why are you in a suit?" she gapes, unable to stop herself from tapping a finger against the middle of the three buttons tying his charcoal grey suit together. She's about to tease him for his thick maroon tie before a particular red-headed gentleman steps around him.

"Miss Niima," Hux interrupted poignantly. "This is Mr. Solo. He's the new head of the IT department."

Rey gaped at him, looking him up and down. "What the..." she mumbled lowly.

Off to her side, she can hear Poe and Rose trying to stifle their snickering.

Great. So she's been gushing to her friends about how much she wants to fuck her new roommate, and here he's standing in front of them like something out of one or two of her wet dreams.

"Wow. You were right Rey. He _is_ cute," Finn nodded in approval.

Ben quirked a brow at him.

And Rey stared at him in pure horror. There are few words and even fewer expressions to define just how mortified she was.

Finn seemed to grasp what he'd just said and tired to backtrack. "Shit,Imeanwelcometotheteam,Mr.Solo," he sputters out in an attempt to distract from his mistake, but it's no use. Rey is already being swallowed whole into the ground. In her mind, at least.

Poe is shaking his head at his boyfriend in disapproval, and Rose is giving her a sympathetic look.

But there's only so much that sympathy can do in a situation like this. It's barely a drop of water on the burn that had just been inflicted on her dignity, and it seems there would be no balm in sight to soothe her now.

Damn it, Finn.


	3. Horrified

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sincerest apologies for the long wait, my dear. I hope you enjoy the... light? angst. Erm, this was also completed in a drunk state at 4am with no beta, so I'm sorry for all the grammatical errors I'm sure you're about to encounter. I'll fix that in the future, but for now, just enjoy some gold old Reylo roommates shenanigans!

Rey was  _ beyond _ mortified.

She couldn’t bear to look at Ben in that moment. She didn’t want to see the look on his beautiful face. It was probably disgust. No, it was definitely disgust. She didn’t even have to look to know. It was the only possibility.

Instead of checking to see if she was actually right –because in her soul, she knew it could ever be anything else–she turned on her heel and left the room, bumping Hux’s shoulder on the way out.

She needed to get out of that room. The walls were closing in on her and swallowing her whole. Her chest squeezed tightly when she heard Finn calling after her in a panicked voice, sputtering apologies. 

_ It’s okay, Finn _ , she thought to herself,  _ I’m just going to find a closet to die in really quick. _

–

This was the longest day Rey has ever had at work. At least that’s what it felt like. Plenty of times before, she had stayed in the building well into the midnight hours but even before the sun had sunk behind the horizon on this day, she felt like she’d been here for days on end. 

Time crawled by slowly, the hushed tones of phones ringing and keyboards clacking filling the air like steam in a sauna.

She kept her head down low in her cubicle, avoiding her coworkers and trudging on with her work like the loyal employee she was. On her screen laid the empty email she intended to draft to her boss, asking if she could have a week off to find new living arrangements.

Yes, she had become that desperate. 

Because an intelligent, amazing man like Ben Solo would not want to live with a fiend like Rey. She just knew it. Her big mouth screwed the pooch on this one.

There’s no doubt he must be disgusted by Finn’s comment, something that was filled with the truth nonetheless. She couldn’t even pretend to say that it was a lie. She’s terrible at lying. And it doesn’t help that she wears her heart on her sleeve. He’d be able to see right through her.

Work was the one place she thought she could verbally thrive and spin tales of her infatuation with her impossibly handsome roommate. And hell, even though she was basically vibrating with embarrassment, she was still itching to tell someone just how fucking good he looked in his suit.

The guy puts in the work to look as good as he does and his classy sense of style only manages to enhance that.

Rey wished he didn’t have to look so good on top of being an intelligent, humble, incredible geek. It would make things a thousand times easier than it had to be.

Her mouse pointer clicked the ‘x’ on the email tab. 

It would be best to just talk to Luke himself about seeing if she was able to get a week off. He’d appreciate the face-to-face, he always did. Maybe that would give her some brownie points, despite the nature of the conversation she wanted to have with him.

In the back of her mind, she knows he’s not a monster. He won’t just say no without having a reason, but the possibility was still there. She’d just have to wait and see.

It was 10 to 6, almost time to clock out. Gathering her things from her desk, she retreated to the bathroom to clean herself up before meeting with her boss.

Her side bag bumped against her hip as she strutted to Luke’s office. Pinching the tips of her fingers to ebb the tingling sensation crawling through her venous system, she raised her fist to rap against the heavy oak door separating her boss from the rest of the world. She paused before her knuckles could meet the wood. Leaning forward, her ear pressed against the door to hear the conversation on the other side.

‘Conversation’ was putting it lightly. It was more of an argument. She was unsettled by the sheer volume of the voices bickering on the inside. In all her time here at Skywalker Enterprises, she had not once heard Luke raise his voice at anyone. He was like the chill uncle that everyone wanted. Soft and understanding. Relatable, even. 

But right now, in this moment, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

She couldn’t make any distinction of the words that were being shot back and forth but the loudness and the pace at which they were being said, it unnerved her. Her feet shuffled back, trying to leave the vicinity. It felt wrong to be in that place. 

It was like she was violating someone’s private space and she needed to get out of there immediately. An email is good. An email is better than whatever it is she was imposing on right at that moment.

Right before she was able to turn around and run away, the door of Luke’s office blew wide open, revealing an angry and huffing Ben Solo. His eyes softened upon seeing her right in front of him. And he inhaled once, straightening his back and lifting his head.

His large hand carded through his dark hair as he watched her open and close her mouth out of nervous impulse. “Rey,” he murmured. His voice sounded hoarse with use.

“Rey!” Luke cheered. She stepped to the side to see Luke in his office, leaning against his desk and grinning from ear to ear, as if he didn’t think she had heard that he was having an obnoxiously loud argument with one of his employees. “Lovely to see you. Have you met my nephew?”

“N-nephew?” she sputtered in complete disbelief.

Was this the ‘family issue’ that Ben had referred to earlier? It would explain the arguing. But why would Ben want to work with his uncle if he had a problem with him?

“Luke is your uncle?” she huffed out a laugh at Ben, pinching her lips together to stop herself from screaming. What the fuck is going on?

“We can discuss this at home,” he frowns. “We’re leaving.”

“We can’t–I…!” 

The opportunity was right there to ask Luke for that week off, but as Ben grabbed her arm and pulled her away from his office, she had no choice but to go along. He was clearly still riled up from that… passionate conversation he was having with his uncle, and it wasn’t her place to ask about it.

In the elevator to the lobby, Rey was biting her tongue. She was waiting for those bitter words to leave his mouth.  _ Rey _ , he’ll say to her,  _ I want you to pack your shit and move out of my place as of yesterday. _

It was only a matter of time. He wouldn’t want to live with her after learning about her infatuation with him.

Okay,  _ infatuation _ was buttering it up a bit much.

All Finn had said to him was that he agreed with Rey in saying he was cute.

But that overthinking part of her brain had already nailed the point home. The point where Ben had always been too good for her and wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

The elevator doors separated and by instinct, Rey stepped out and walked in the opposite direction of the car park, heading for the bus stop just down the street.

“Where are you going?” she stopped and turned to him in confusion.

“I… I’m going to the bus stop?”

“Why? What?” he shook his head in disbelief. “No you’re not, you’re coming with me.” he nodded his head towards the employee parking area. “Come on,” he urged her again when she noticed that she hadn’t moved a muscle.

“Aren’t you mad?” she said before she could stop herself.

“About what?” he turned back to her. “About Luke? I told you I’d discuss that with you when we get back home–”

“What Finn said,” she swallowed the lump rising in her throat. “Are you mad?”

“Why would I–” he rubbed his hands over his face and even though they were several feet apart, she could hear him growling into his palms. “Can we just go home? Please?”

“No,” she shook her head at him. “No, I need to know now. Because before I interrupted whatever it was you were having with Luke, I was going to ask him for a week off.”

Now he looks genuinely confused. “A week off for what–Rey, please, can we just go home and we can talk about this–”

“–because I need time to move out–”

“–and I could really use a drink–”

“–a week is long enough to grab my shit–”

“–wait, move out? What are you talking about? No, no, no, stop it.”

He stepped forward until he was right in front of her and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Why are you moving out, I don’t understand. Is this about what your friend said? When he said something about me being cute or whatever?”

Rey chewed on her bottom lip, looking down to her shoes.

“Jesus Christ, Rey, why the fuck would you move out because of that?”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to,” she habitually rolled her eyes.

He scoffed, letting go of her shoulders. And the warmth of his palms on her person was quickly replaced by the cold air of the abandoned lobby. Everyone else had already gone home at this point. The only people left in the building were Luke and the custodial staff. None of which were here to interrupt the moment.

“Right,” he looked genuinely hurt. “So you think I’m that much of an asshole, that I’d  _ make _ you move out.”

“Ben, that’s not–”

“It’s not what you meant? Then what  _ did _ you mean? Tell me.”

“Because you’re too good for me, okay?!” she declared, raising her arms. They came back down, slapping her sides. “You wanted to hear the truth, that was it. You’re too good for me. That apartment is too good for me.  _ Everything _ about you is too good for me.”

She took a step back to gain some distance from him, yet he took another step forward.

“That’s not true.”

“Yes it is,” she replied just above a whisper.

Ben flared his nostrils and clenched his hands at his side, almost glaring at her. The veins in his reddening neck were popping out. Angry.

“That is  _ not _ true, Rey. Why the fuck would you say that?”

“It  _ is _ true, okay?” she replied defensively. “You’re… you’re an amazing person. And you’re intelligent and thoughtful and… an amazing cook.”

“Seriously? That’s it?” he grunted, still clearly angry.

“Shut up, I’m not done,” she sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. “You’re passionate about pop culture and the arts. And I know you water my plants when I forget. I’m honestly surprised they’re still green at this point. I’m also pretty sure you’ve read every book in your library, cause you’re not the type of person to just have them for the aesthetic. You.... set goals and you  _ actually _ achieve them. You go out of your way to make me feel comfortable in that apartment and no matter how hard I try to do the same, I still feel like a nuisance to you.”

She said her last words with a wobble in her chin. Fuck, she wanted to cry so bad. She wanted to run out and try to catch the bus while she still could. Maybe then, she’d be able to pack up her things in record time and be able to get out of there before he has time to catch up to her.

Much to her dismay, a few tears managed to breach her waterline and stroll down her cheeks like a tsunami.

Before she could wipe them away with the back of her shaking hands, she felt him gently grabbing the sides of her face. His thumbs brushed over her tear streaks with such care that she couldn’t help but lean into his touch.

Guilt coursed through her as she did so, regretting the way she had exploded at him. He was still the gentleman he was when she first met him, of course he’s going to wipe away her tears. That’s what a gentleman does when he sees a woman crying.

Slowly, he pulled her into a hug.

Subconsciously, she moulded herself into his warm mass, wrapping her arms around his midsection. Her body shook, racking with sobs. His hands stroked her back comfortingly, allowing her to soak his shirt with her tears.

He hummed shushes at her, continuing to glide his hand down her back softly.

“You have no idea what you mean to me, do you?” he murmured into her hair, rocking them slowly back and forth.

She stilled in his arms, shaking her head on his chest. There wasn’t a single idea in her head. The negative thoughts came tumbling into her mind one at a time.  _ Nothing? A burden? A pain in your ass? _

“We’re going home, okay? You’re not taking the fucking bus,” he grunted, beginning to guide her towards the carpark.

She had said her piece to him, so there was nothing else she could say. His huge hand settled on the small of her back as they walked out of the building and to his car. A beautiful Hypori Silencer. It was like a Tesla Model X had sex with a Mustang and had the most beautiful child ever. Funnily enough, the leather of the passenger seat was as soft as a baby’s ass.

Whatever he had to say to her, he clearly didn’t want to say it in that building, so she sat and waited silently the whole journey home. The air around them in that car was thick, palpable even. And every time the car paused, a thought in Rey’s mind emerged, urging her to take the opportunity to jump the fuck out and escape even more humiliation.

But alas, they arrived at the familiar building they called home. It still stood proudly, all dark grey and sleek edges. Ben pulled into the parking lot, then hopped out to open the door for Rey. She ignored his extended hand, pretending not to see it as she stepped out and leaned away from him. If he was hurt by her rejection, she didn’t see it.

After a short, eerily quiet elevator ride, they found themselves loitering in the doorway of their apartment. Usually at this time of day, Rey would announce herself as soon as she’d step past the door, and Ben would either be in the kitchen playing with a new recipe or doing something in his office, hollering back at her to acknowledge her presence.

Now though, neither of them were sure of what to do.

Rey did a quick recap in her mind. Technically, they both work together now. He learned that she told her friends he was cute. She had a breakdown right in front of him then cried on his shirt.

The soft click of the door came from behind her. Soon, she felt his hand on hers.

“Come, sit.”

The words she wanted to say failed to meet her yet again, so she listened and sat down on the sofa in their living room. A grey throw pillow found its way onto her lap, the seams being pressed and pulled between her anxious finger tips.

“I’m sorry.”

The unexpected statement immediately shocked her.

“Sorry for what? I’m the one that’s sorry.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be,” he smashed his lips together the way he did when he was nervous. “I don’t know what I did to give you the impression that I’d make you… make you fucking  _ move out _ over one little comment,” he shook his head, soft tendrils of his dark hair falling over his forehead. “That’s the last thing I want, Rey. You could say I’m sexy or that I’m fucking Hitler, I don’t really care. The only thing I care about is you being here with me, okay?”

She gaped at him, nearly abandoning the comfort pillow in her lap to grab him by the face. If she shook him hard enough, maybe he’d come to reality. He doesn’t really want that. No, he just wants to make  _ her _ comfortable, even if it means he gets stepped on in the process.

_ “Why?” _

“Why?”

“Yes,  _ why _ ?”

“Because…”

He looked hesitant, almost cautious. Whatever he wanted to say next, she could tell he was trying desperately to find the right words.

“...Because I think you’re the sweetest, kindest, most incredible person I’ve ever met in my life and I’m scared that if you leave… I’ll never be able to find someone like you again. If you leave, you’re gonna take those plants and those stupid fucking posters, and yes, I think they’re the fucking worst but they’re yours so I don’t care. If you leave, I don’t know if I’ll find someone who loves Star Wars more than me. If you leave, I don’t know who else is gonna finish off the coffee pot in the morning. If you leave… then this place is no longer a home.”

His eyes bore into hers, his hand on top of hers.

“ _ You _ make this place a home, Rey.”

His gentleness with her hit her like a ton of bricks. The sincerity in his voice wove itself between the grooves in her brain. She sank into the couch even further, unable to tear her gaze away from his expectant expression. He wants her to respond to him. He needs to hear what she has to say.

He probably wasn’t aware of it, but that was the most he’s ever said to her in one sitting. Of course, they’ve shared dinners together and they’ve watched movies on this very same couch together, but they’ve never spoken to each other very much. When they did, it was short, comfortable sentences. It’s never been tangents of passion. Ben seemed too subdued and comfortable in his bluntness to do such a thing, and Rey respected that.

“That’s so sweet of you, Ben,” Rey murmured just above a whisper. She saw his shoulders visibly relax, slumping down as a small smile tugged at the edges of his plush lips. He appeared almost…  _ relieved _ . “But this is just… I don’t know how I’m going to keep living with you when you know I like you now. It’s mortifying.”

She could feel him stiffening beside her.

“You like me?”

She stared at him, confused. 

“I thought… Wait, what did you think I meant when I told my friends you were cute?”

“Just that, just saying I was cute…” he blinked at her. Then he blinked again, still seemingly coming to terms with her confession. “Holy shit, you  _ like _ me?”

“Oh my God,” Rey gasped, feeling even more humiliated. She could have gotten away with just calling him cute, that was all he ever took from her comments. But this? She can’t escape this now when she had just blurted out to him that she did, in fact, genuinely like him. “That’s it, I’m  _ actually  _ moving out, I can’t do this.”

As she moved to escape their shared space, he startled her by grabbing her wrist. Pulling her back, she almost fell right into his lap. With wide eyes, she gazed up at him.

“What are you–”

“Calling me cute is one thing, but saying you actually like me changes things,” he blurted out, almost breathless from his maneuver of pulling her back to the couch. Her mouth opened and closed, unsure of what to say.

“Rey, I like you too.”

Holy shit. “Ben–”

“I liked you the minute you walked in,” he interrupted her, needing to vent his heart now that he understood the mutual feelings between them. He ignored the shocked look on her face and continued. “As soon as I opened the door, all I saw was you. You burrowed yourself into every corner of my mind and you haven’t left since. Like a fucking parasite. Not that you’re a parasite, I’m just bad at finding analogies. Jesus, Rey, I literally can’t even think around you sometimes. It’s insane.”

As she absorbed his confession, her whole body relaxed in his hold. Gobsmacked was one way to put it. The roommate she had thought of as beyond her means and out of her league, the roommate she had fantasized about almost every day since she’d met him, was telling her he liked her back. He liked her back. He fucking likes her back.

It almost seemed too good to be true, but the sincere look in his eyes, which she briefly caught darting in the direction of her mouth, told her otherwise. His hand on her arm released softly, and gilded across her skin until it rested at the base of her spine.

He leaned in slowly, inch by inch, watching her chest rise and fall slowly. She watched him carefully. Next his forehead rested on hers, and their breaths mixed in the space between them. With him being so close, she could smell the mint and coffee on his breath, courtesy of his constant caffeine intake and his chewing gum.

He steadied his breathing for a moment, murmuring lowly, “Can I kiss you?”

She almost gasped at his request, taken aback by his gentleness. Gentlemanliness was in Ben’s forte, but her mind had been so plagued with the tall, dark, mysterious image of him that she’d almost expected him to leap forward and crash his lips against hers instead of asking so sweetly.

In a way, this was even better than the image she had of him.

She practically glowed with enthusiasm.

“Please,” her eyes darted down to his plush lips.

The hand that rested on her back slowly glided up until it encased the back of her neck, slowly pulling her forward until they met in the middle, their mouths slotting together like two missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

It was nothing like what she had ever dreamed.

It was better than that. Feeling his lips upon hers, moving like water over a cliff. It was  _ strong, passionate _ and  _ just right _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A weird place to end the chapter, I know. But stick around for the next one to see what happens, haha.


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